Paris Fashion Week AW 2012...Anna

Anna Dello Russo, after A Show, Paris, March 2012.

Paris Fashion Week AW 2012...Vika

Vika Gazinskaya, after Christian Dior, Paris, March 2012.

Vika, in pieces from her spring/summer 2012 collection + Nike baseball cap + vintage t-shirt + statement earrings.

Another example of not keeping clothes/accessories for "good" (as my mum would say) but wearing beautiful pieces as often as you can. If you have a pair of fabulous statement earrings like Vika's that you save for special occasions, unearth them from your jewellery stash and try them for day (with a denim jacket or white shirt perhaps).

Haven't got a pair of party anytime earrings? Here are a few pairs similar to Vika's:

Kenneth Jay Lane marbled cabochon and pave earrings, Juliet & Company Celebration de Plage earrings or Baublebar Glam Burst drops



Rainey

Rainey @ New York Model Management, West Village, NYC, February 2012.

Rainey (how beautiful is her name?) came over to the apartment I was staying in during fashion week so we could take some photographs. Apart from being seriously beautiful (how gorgeous are her green eyes?), she is so much fun, crazy cool and natural in front of the camera (despite being only new to modelling). Like a true Californian girl (she lives between her home in California and NYC), 19 year old Rainey loves skateboarding, bike riding and....wait for it....dirt bike riding! Helllllooooo got to love a girl who adores clothes, shoes AND getting a little messy dirt bike riding! In fact most of the shoot when I wasn't behind the camera, I was flapping about imploring Rainey not to fall off the (random) bike/stoop/stairs in her heels (think it is the lawyer in me ;)

Anyway, thanks to Rainey and her awesome agent Krisana at New York Model Management.

New York Fashion Week AW 2012...Alison

Model Alison Nix, after Diesel Black Gold, NYC, February 2012.

Love this colour block look on Alison (how cute is her short haircut? there is another photo I took of her backstage at Margaret Howell which shows it more clearly) especially her Carven sweater. I think she has styled it all brilliantly (note the crop pants + boots).

Recreate Alison's Look (kind of):

Carven colour block sweater or Alexander Wang colour block sweater or Rag&Bone Dakota colour block sweater 

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli croc-print mini satchel

Acne Clover wrap strap boots or ASOS black Albi leather chelsea boot (these also come in a few colours with contrasting inserts - very fun).

Persol round sunglasses

ASOS boyfriend knit beanie



London Fashion Week AW 2012...Laura

Model,writer and cultural ambassador for the British Fashion Council Laura Bailey, before Christopher Kane, London, February 2012.

Such a pretty, feminine outfit - how beautiful is that Christopher Kane crystal flower embellished top? Perfect for the spring weather now (well, except for last night in London where I had to pull out my hot water bottle again. I thought I had retired it until next winter!) with a simple cardigan, and worn on its own when the weather warms up. And I love that Laura has worn such a beautiful top during the day....if you own a piece like this don't just save it for a special occasion/an evening out. Wear it as much as possible (I think the top would look fabulous with a denim jacket thrown over the top, for example).

Recreate Laura's look (kind of):

Vionnet embellished tulle and silk top or Topshop premium flower embellished top or Alice + Olivia embellished silk-chiffon top

Topshop pale pink high-waisted chinos or Alice + Olivia Arthur pants

See by Chloe wooden heeled sandals or Yves Saint Laurent Tribute wooden heeled sandals (add a pretty pair of lace tights or socks like Laura)  



New York Fashion Week AW 2012...Codie

Codie Young, after Tory Burch, NYC, February 2012.

Recreate the Look (kind of):

Iro Isabelle camel leather jacket or Warehouse tan leather jacket or Joie Ailey leather moto jacket

Seriously fun black & white* stripes for your legs:  Alice + Olivia high-waisted pants or Motel Jordan black and white striped jeans or 10 Crosby Derek Lam wide leg striped pants

Miu Miu black leather tote + Bag Swag faux fur fox tail keychain or See by Chloe faux fur fox tail keychain 

London Fashion Week AW 2012...Lisa

Before Christopher Kane, London, February 2012.

I photographed this girl last September before Christopher Kane (she was wearing the gorgeous Christopher Kane patent pencil skirt with embroidered flowers) and I spotted her again this season. I really love the way she has paired trainers with the Acne Starlet leather skirt - casual, relaxed and cool all at once. Hands up who hasn't sported a version of this look? I am sitting firmly on mine (well, not literally as I have to type ;) as sandshoes (got to love a Dunlop volley!)/trainers with a shortish* denim skirt has been a look I have worn many times over the years. The leather skirt with trainers equals a fresh take on the sneakers/skirt look.

Edit: her name is Lisa Corneliusson from Rodeo magazine (thanks to the lovely and super stylin' Alexander from The Sceptic for letting me know!

Recreate the look (kind of):

Acne Starlet leather skirt (How cute are the glitter stars and stripes?)

Alexander Wang Dillon trainers or Topshop black canvas sneakers

*length = dependant on weight/mood/state of legs at time of wearing ;)

Paris Fashion Week AW 2012...Nadia

Nadia Sarwar, before Isabel Marant (I think!), Paris, March 2012.

Recreate Nadia's super cute look (kind of):

Zero + Maria Cornejo Devo dress (add a navy long sleeve tee like Nadia until the weather warms up) or Carven dungaree style dress (adore this dress especially the back with the crossover straps) or Topshop hooded jersey midi dress

ASOS Abel leather lace-up boots

ASOS boyfriend knit beanie



London Fashion Week AW 2012...Poppy

Poppy Delevingne, before Christopher Kane, London, February 2012.

Recreate Poppy's Look (kind of):

Christopher Kane metallic brocade top or ASOS jacquard shell top or  AWear foil print top 

Dion Lee Asymmetric printed mini-skirt or Zero + Maria Cornejo Tomo wrap skirt

Karen Walker Perfect Day sunglasses or Prism Portofino cat-eye sunglasses

Paris Fashion Week AW 2012...Miu Miu Glitter High-Tops

Miu Miu glitter high-tops, after Louis Vuitton, Paris, March 2012.

I am a sucker for a glitter shoe. I still have my glitter Miu Miu ballet flats - the ones with the crystal jewel on the front - from 2005 and I still love them (gulp! That is almost 7 years ago). It doesn't matter to me whether they are in or out of fashion, I think they are fun and they make me happy when I wear them! Plus they leave a glitter trail wherever I walk which I find oddly amusing :) 

And I really love these Miu Miu glitter/studded high-tops - my friend Gia wore them during PFW (these are her shoes!) and Anne-Catherine has a pair as well.

Create your own glitter trail with these Miu Miu glitter leather high-tops or sneakers  or if you prefer a little less glitz, try these Ash Vibration Bis studded high-tops.

New York Fashion Week AW 2012...Pauline

After J. Crew Fall-Winter 2012, NYC, February 2012.

Not sure of her name, but I thought she was incredibly beautiful (as was the make-up - and clothes!- at J. Crew) and I liked her bright blue sneakers. Edit: Her name is Pauline van der Cruysse (thanks @B)

Recreate her look (kind of) and pound the pavements in these fun blue Superga Cotu sneakers or Vans blue Authentic sneakers



London Fashion Week AW 2012...Camille

Camille from Over The Rainbow blog, Somerset House, London, February 2012.

Love Camille's style (she is half French/half English) and I am especially coveting that baseball cap (and the Celine bag, of course!). Before fashion month (and photographing Talissa in Australia last November), my response to wearing a baseball cap other than for sporting activities or for sun-protection purposes would have been, um, really? Are you sure?! Which is clearly one (of the many) reasons why I am a photographer and not a fashion editor ;) I have owned many a baseball cap over the years ranging from Polo Ralph Lauren to a Sydney Swans AFL supporters cap and a most-flattering fluro yellow Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary cap circa 2007 however none have had quite the desirability factor that Camille's cap imparts.

Recreate Camille's look (kind of):

My Lovely Jean painter skinny jean (add your own strategically placed rips) or Helmut Lang metallic mid-rise jeans (with metallic foil swooshes) or J Brand Zoey triple zip skinny jeans

Bird by Juicy Couture slate grey sweater or ASOS grey double-layer t-shirt or T by Alexander Wang classic muscle tee 

Christian Louboutin Sixties black pumps (love the low cut side) or Gucci patent leather pumps

And hit it out of the ballpark in a baseball cap: Juicy Couture black cap, House of Holland baseball cap or Topshop acid wash cap

New York Fashion Week AW 2012....Backstage at Tory Burch

Backstage at Tory Burch Fall-Winter 2012 show, NYC, Tuesday 14th February 2012.

Things that were firmly on my wish list after the Tory Burch show: a gold bow headband (so sweet and it even had a tiny Tory Burch logo embedded on the bow); a personal hairdresser* on call at all times to coiffure my hair into a french pleat (studded with pretty flower hairpins) - with a healthy dash of messiness to ensure that it doesn't look too prim; a beautiful full length evening dress (as worn by Joan Smalls) complete with seamstress to sew it closed!. How they do this without pricking a finger (or the model!) in the frenetic atmosphere backstage is beyond me; a ladylike chain handbag - I loved the snakeskin and tortoiseshell detailing (okay, so probably my camera isn't going to fit in one of these but they were so gorgeous I would make an exception ;); an oxblood red crinkly-leather (not the technical name but I am not sure how else to describe it) trench coat (sexy and elegant all at once); rolls of Gracie handpainted wallpaper. I adored the backdrop to the runway which was covered in wallpaper depicting Chinese scenes; a pair of Spectator pumps and elbow-length leather gloves; a leather plaid dress, skirt and trousers (for me, stand-out pieces); a simple peplum top (I loved the quote from Alber Elbaz on Fashionista last week "I created the peplum so you can eat in it,” Elbaz said. “You can have a dessert, you can have another sandwich".); a stack of Chiavari chairs (which worked so well with the Gracie wallpaper and printed runway carpet reminiscent of a five star hotel) and a beautiful ivory coat with exaggerated peter-pan collar and bow nestled at the waist.

p.s. The colours are a bit squiffy (the lighting is rather tricky for the way I shoot) but sometimes that's just the way I roll :)

* Eugene Souleiman if possible please ;)